Start by sitting in a quiet, safe space. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth slowly and deeply. [3] X Research source Notice how it feels in your diaphragm each time you inhale and exhale. Continue to breathe this way for a few minutes at least, while thinking solely about your breathing and how it feels.
Start by tensing your toes for 5 seconds, then relax them for 10-20 seconds. Then move slowly up your body and tense and relax most of your muscle groups all the way to the top of your head.
The point of meditation is to clear your mind. If you find yourself getting distracted simply and non-judgmentally bring your focus back to the meditation. You can also meditate on a specific topic. For example, if you fear speaking in front of people, you can meditate and only think about this topic as you sit quietly.
If you are standing, push your shoulders back. Stand up against the wall to flatten out your back. If you are sitting, make sure your back is straight against the chair instead of slouching forward.
Try fun ways to practice mindfulness such as eating a piece of candy while focusing first on how it feels and looks and then one how it tastes and feels inside your mouth. Focus only on the candy and your experience of eating it. Eat a small bit or piece of it at a time and really enjoy it. Pick any object in the room and focus on it. Look at it, explore it, touch it, pick it up, and examine all of the details about it. Next you can write down everything that you noticed about the object and share it with someone.
It is associated with activities such as naming all of the different objects in the room and their different uses. You could name all of the states or colors you can think of.
Some examples of ways to distract yourself from feeling nervous include: playing a game, watching television or a movie, cooking, or cleaning. Try relaxing activities to soothe yourself such as: reading, taking a shower, taking a bubble bath, lighting candles or using aromatherapy. Listen to music. If you have a favorite song, listen to it and get your mind off your nerves. Use pets as therapy. Pets can be comforting in times of stress. You can cuddle with your pet. You could even practice whatever you are nervous about in front of your pet before you attempt it in real-life. Write it down. Writing about your feelings can be very therapeutic. Instead of keeping it all in you can put it on paper and release some of the worry. [10] X Research source
Shake it out! Try shaking each part of your body starting with your arms, upper body, and then your legs until all of your body is shaking. Try dancing. Dancing to music you like is a great way to relieve some of those jittery feelings from your body. You could also look up YouTube videos and try an aerobic dance routine. Jump up and down. Move around randomly or in a silly way. Have fun with it.
Fake it until you make it. Pretend that you are confident about what you are doing and that you are the absolute expert in this activity (whether simply making small talk or giving a speech). Act in a way that you think a calm and confident person might act.
Contact a therapist, social worker, or psychologist for therapy in order to help you learn new techniques and ways to treat your nervousness. Contact a general practitioner (medical doctor) or psychiatrist to discuss possible medications.
Try fun activities like walking, jogging, hiking, swimming, biking, yoga, tennis or dancing.
Instead of drinking something that increases nervousness and stress, try drinking chamomile tea. If you drink caffeine daily, don’t immediately eliminate it completely. You can slowly cut down your use over time.
Instead of dwelling on what might turn out badly, think about the positive things that you want to happen (such as speaking clearly, concisely, and with confidence) Visualize yourself successfully completing what you are nervous about. Think about how it will feel once you have accomplished it.
Every time you notice you have a negative thought about your feeling such as, “Ugh, I feel so nervous. It’s terrible. ” Instead, say to yourself, “I’m feeling nervous and that is okay. It is a natural feeling and I can get through this. ”
If you find yourself catastrophizing, for example, simply ask yourself, “Is the world really going to end if this bad thing happens? How bad will it really be? It is possible that it won’t turn out that badly?” Think of a time when you felt very confident. Concentrate on positive thoughts such as good friends, times, laughter, and the like. [20] X Research source
